


Handmade Heaven

by KaiserNoire



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Red String of Fate, we don't know s8 in this house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22840810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaiserNoire/pseuds/KaiserNoire
Summary: Shiro and Keith got married when they were 21 and 20, respectively.Their parents talked about them behind their backs during the wedding.“Oh, whydidyou two marry so young?”“Because we love each other.”That seemed to satisfy the parents. They would nod and agree that being in love was important.But then, a bit into their marriage, Keith’s mom asked something that startled him.“Your soulmark with Shiro. Where is it?”Keith swallowed a lump in his throat.“It’s OK,” she soothed. “You two can just be best friends.”Keith’s eyes narrowed. He knew where she was going with this. Because he had heard something similar from one of his aunts. “We’remarried, mom. Ilovehim.”
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 200





	Handmade Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> A mildly cleaned up fic that I originally posted on Twitter as a fic thread! I don't normally write angst for sheith, but I needed to get this one out. Sorry in advance.
> 
> (Yes, the title is indeed from the Marina song by the same name. Thank you Alex for introducing me to her. 🖤❤️)

Shiro and Keith met when they were about 15 and 14 years old, started dating when they were 16, and then got married when they were 21 and 20. They were practically inseparable.

Their parents talked about them behind their backs during the wedding. 

I wasn’t _bad stuff_ necessarily. Mostly just shocked reactions. 

_“I never expected their first real relationships would end up in marriage!_

and

_“Would you have guessed that when they met in high school that we would be watching them get married before they even graduated college?”_

_“ARE they still gonna graduate college?”_

_“They better!”_

Again: Not bad. But annoying to hear as quiet, and some not so quiet, whispers. Especially on their wedding day.

But the irritating comments never stopped. Their parents continued to talk ill of their relationship over the years. Except their parents didn’t realize that was what they had been doing. _They_ thought they were just being helpful. 

Some of it had been pretty mild; typical of parents being nosy and curious.

“So, why _did_ you two marry so young?”

To which Shiro and Keith would respond: “Because we love each other.”

That seemed to satisfy the parents every time they asked. They would nod and agree that being in love was important. Though sometimes Shiro’s mom would grumble, saying that they should have waited until they were older, but then would smile and say, “At least you love each other! That’s important.”

Then a little over a year into their marriage, Keith’s mom asked something that startled him.

“So when did your soulmark end up popping up?” She asked it so casually. 

Him and Shiro had come to visit over the summer, after their final year at college. 

“ _What?_ ” Keith choked out. 

“Your soulmark with Shiro. Where is it?”

Keith swallowed a lump in his throat. Him and Shiro never ended up getting soulmarks. And Keith told his mom as such though tears.

“It’s OK,” she soothed. “You two can just be best friends.”

Keith’s eyes narrowed and he pulled away from her embrace. He knew where she was going with this. Because he had heard something similar from one of his aunts. “We’re _married_ , mom. I _love_ him.”

“Which is beautiful, Keith! And when your soulmate comes into your life you always have the option to get divorced. Your dad and I won’t love you any less if you decide to go that route.”

“ _Mom!_ I’m not divorcing Shiro!”

“And I respect your decision.”

“Do you? Because it doesn’t feel like it!”

That night Keith cried against Shiro’s chest as he vented about what his mom had been insinuating. Shiro held him tight and tucked his face against Keith’s. 

“I love you, baby,” Shiro whispered into the space between them. “I love you so much.”

__________

Another three years passed, and Shiro and Keith were still so in love. 

But still no soulmarks.

But that was fine. Soulmarks weren’t the end all or be all in a relationship. And as Shiro and Keith had learned, weren’t an indicator that a couple would be utterly and completely in love. Or necessarily happy.

(They had met way too many couples who were simply together because they had matching soulmarks, without ever really getting to know the other person. Which, what was the point?)

_They_ were happy though. Shiro and Keith were _so_ happy. 

Yes, life had been hard, and yes, they had their own share of disagreements. 

And yes, they even discussed getting divorced, but they both would end up crying over the prospect of _not_ being together, so that train of thought died pretty quickly. (It cropped up a few times, but always got snuffed out at the end of a tearful night.)

_But_ at the end of the day they loved each other so much. _They_ were happy.

________

It had been a little after their fifth wedding anniversary, when they were visiting Shiro’s family in Japan, that another nagging question popped up. 

“When are you gonna start having kids? You aren’t gonna be one of _those_ couples who call their dog their baby, are you?” Shiro’s cousin asked, a toddler in her arms.

Shiro and Keith looked at each other, and the down at their dog, Kosmo, who they had brought with them.

Keith scratched Kosmo behind the ear and opened his mouth to respond when Shiro’s aunt spoke up. 

“They can’t adopt, Midori,” she said to the cousin. “They aren’t soulmates.”

Keith nearly screamed at the family, but he held his tongue. If it had been a few years ago, then yeah, he would have. Shiro’s hand met his shoulder blade, and it made Keith twitch from the sudden contact.

Keith looked at Shiro, who’s expression was tight and his eyes were burning with anger under the surface. Shiro pulled Keith to his side and whispered, “Not worth it.” He placed a kiss to Keith’s temple. “I love you, baby.” Keith felt himself start to calm a bit.

“ _Oh,_ ” Midori said, a snippy bite to her tone, “why did you even get married in the first place then?” 

Shiro gripped Keith tight and shook his head. 

Keith wanted to make a scene, he wanted to blow up. Tell the entire family just how rude they were being. But he didn’t. Because Shiro asked him not to. Because confrontation with his family made Shiro want to shake apart. Keith knew this and he didn’t want was to cause Shiro pain.

Instead, Keith closed his eyes and breathed. And focused on Shiro’s hand on his waist, on Shiro’s nose in his hair. And tried to keep his breaths in time with Shiro’s. 

“Not all hope is lost,” Keith heard Shiro’s mother pipe up. “If they make it to their 10 year wedding anniversary and haven’t found their soulmates by then, then the government will allow them to start the adoption process!”

“Thank god,” Shiro’s father said as he walked by. “You might be a father after all, son.” He said as he smacked Shiro on the back. 

“Cool,” Shiro responded, flatly. “Thanks, dad.” 

Shiro and Keith had indeed talked about kids, and they were a possibility. They both liked kids, but they were still young. They still had time to decide if they wanted to expand their family in that way.

Never mind the law that didn’t allow them to even start the process towards children. 

They were still young, they kept telling themselves. They would be able to start the paperwork when they were about 30, which was still an appropriate age to start having kids. And that gave them about five years to decide on such an important step in their lives. 

It would be fine. They loved each other. It would be fine. 

__________

After a certain part in their 20s, Shiro and Keith didn’t continue keeping track of their wedding anniversary, but they did keep firm track of their overall anniversary. 

And soon November 8th came sooner than they expected. 

“It’s kind of odd to think that we got together soon after you turned sixteen,” Shiro said as he pulled the blanket up to this chin. “What is time.”

Keith laughed. “Twenty-six and still making blanket forts and eating Wendy’s for our dating anniversary.” He turned on the Christmas lights strung around the blanket fort that encompassed the entirety of their small living room.

“Hey, can’t mess with success!” Shiro said. He clicked play, the loud beginning notes of their favorite sci-fi space opera played from their tv. “Though, this anniversary is pretty special.” He snuggled farther into the blankets and pulled Keith nearly on top of his torso. 

“God, I would have _never_ expected us to be home owners at this point in our lives.”

“Well, you did want a yard for Kosmo.”

“And any possible future kids,” Keith pointed out, grabbing their very large bag of fast food.

“ _And_ any possible future kids, of course, thank you for thinking about them as well, baby,” Shiro laughed. But it was partly drowned out by his ringing cell phone. “Ugh, I don’t wanna talk to them. Can you do it?” 

Shiro’s pitiful tone made Keith chuckle. He tilted his head a bit to look at the caller ID on Shiro’s phone. “No. No, no. Ohhhhh, no. I love you. I love you a lot. And I would do a lot for you—”

“Oh come on, baby! _Please,_ it’s our anniversary!”

Keith groaned, “OK, _fine_! Fine. I’ll talk to them.” With a roll of his eyes Keith clicked the answer button. “Hi, Asuka. Shiro is trapped under Kosmo right now, what’s up?” And almost on cue, the large husky flopped down on both of the men.

Shiro laughed and then groaned as Kosmo practically kneed him in the groin, happily panting the whole time. Shiro looked up right as Keith’s entire face fell, and his eyes started to water. 

Keith cleared his throat. “Ye-yeah, I’ll get him. One second.” He pulled the phone away from his face, pressing the mute button. “Princess? I’m so sorry.”

“Keith? What happened?”

____________

Flights to Japan are always expensive. Especially when they need to be purchased last minute. Luckily Shiro’s family pitched in to fly them there. 

It had been a shock to everyone when Shiro’s grandpa ended up in the hospital. In critical condition. 

Shiro had always been on great terms with his grandparents, especially with his grandfather. Other than Keith, Jiji had been Shiro’s best friend. Keith knew this. Which is why, after they got Kosmo squared away at a friend’s place, they took the first red-eye flight.

More than 48 hours and one long ass flight after they received the jarring phone call, they heard some good news to balance things out: Shiro’s grandpa was going to pull through. 

Shiro cried as he clung to Keith, and then cried again when the doctor told him that his grandparents wanted to see him in the hospital room. Granted, the second time had been a happy cry.

While huddled next to Jiji’s bed, Shiro was told some interesting information: His grandparents weren’t soulmates either.

“We wanted to let you know, before it got too late. We love you so much, but we also love that feisty man you married. Keep him close to you, Takashi. And _never_ let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do.”

That night, Shiro confronted his parents.

__________

Extremely heated arguments weren’t Shiro’s forte but Keith couldn’t guess it from the way that Shiro handled himself against his parents. 

“You _knew_! And yet you gave me and Keith such grief about it!”

“Of course, we knew! When your grandparents were your age it was near impossible for people to find their soulmates. But now it’s so much easier. _Really_ Takashi, think about your actions; they have consequences! Think about your _soulmate_!”

“ _Keith_ is my soulmate!”

The fire and intensity in Shiro’s eyes amazed Keith. The way that Shiro carried himself, the way that he not only pushed his points, but also kept an unmistakable calm amongst the fire in his lungs was _brilliant_. And Keith couldn’t be prouder to call this man his husband. 

Keith nearly wanted to yell, _“That’s my boy!”_ But that wouldn’t have been appropriate. Normally he wouldn’t care, but the way that Shiro commanded the room took his breath away.

Keith blinked and Shiro’s hand was before him. Without a second thought Keith grabbed it. 

Shiro’s mom scoffed, eyes full of tears. “Keith, we don’t want to be enemies here. Please, Takashi listens to you. Help him see reason.”

Keith blinked slow, taking his time to think. He grasped Shiro’s hand tighter. A deep breath in and out. Ten years ago Keith would have been a firecracker with a short fuse in this kind of situation, and not in a good way, but that was before Shiro started to rub off on him.

Keith made eye contact with Shiro’s mother, and then Shiro’s father, and with an incredible intensity he spoke clear as day, “Shiro is my soulmate.”

The pride that Shiro felt in that instant fell off of him in waves and he yanked Keith to him, hugging him tight with hands clasped high across his back and tucked into Keith’s long hair. 

As Shiro’s hands moved across Keith’s back, a soft gasp and hurried mumbling in Japanese reached Keith’s ears. 

Keith was too exhausted to try to translate, but Shiro wasn’t.

“What’s wrong with my pinkie?”

___________

The second thing that Shiro’s grandpa told him, right before they left the hospital, was that sometimes an invisible red string connects two people so strongly that a physical manifestation, like a soulmark, isn’t needed for the people to know that they are meant to be together. 

And sometimes, that level of devotion and love can cause physical proof of that bond to appear. 

That night, as Keith tucked himself flush against Shiro, they intertwined hands. Both with a bright red band around their pinkies.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, both sets of family are being asses and think they’re helping their sons. Which, to me, is the worst and most painful part: when family thinks they’re helping but HAH they aren’t.
> 
> Also, I really like a few building blocks of this soulmate universe, so I may play with those in other fics~ 
> 
> Follow me on the bird site for more fic threads! This is actually one of my shorter threads. They average about 5k, but have been known to accidentally creep up into 10k territory. WHOOPS.
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/kaisernoire).


End file.
